Process of laminating a vinyl design to a vinyl backing sheet

ABSTRACT

A process of laminating a vinyl design to a vinyl backing sheet comprising the steps of first die cutting the design to the desired configuration, then placing the cut vinyl design on a support surface, then placing the vinyl backing sheet over the cut design so that the latter is properly oriented with respect to the former, then applying heat and pressure to the surface of the backing sheet opposed from the surface with which the cut design is in contact in order to fuse the cut design to the backing sheet.

United States Patent Zompa [151 3,655,485 1 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] PROCESS OF LAMINATING A VINYL DESIGN TO A VINYL BACKING SHEET [72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Trina, lnc., Fall River, Mass.

[22] Filed: June 9, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 831,432

, [52 us. c1 ..156/256,156/300, 156/306,

[51] Int. Cl ..B32b 31/26 [58] Fieldoisearcb ..156/63, 228, 256, 265, 297, 156/298, 300, 306; 161/131 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS;

685,520 10/1901 Melvin ..156/265X 1,376,987 5/1921 Wirt ..156/300 Thomas A. Zompa, East Providence, R'.1.

1,672,512 6/1928 Yohns ..156/265 X 2,260,573 10/1941 Lorch ...156/265 X 2,293,696 8/ 1942 Burchell ..156/63 2,749,640 6/1956 Scott ..161/Vinyl UX 2,859,152 11/1958 Markus et a1 ..161/Viny1 UX Primary Examiner-Reuben Epstein Attorney-Salter & Michaelson [57] ABSTRACT A process of laminating a vinyl design to a vinyl backing sheet .comprising the steps of first die cutting the design to thc desired configuration, then placing the cut vinyl design on a support surface, then placing the vinyl backing sheet over the cut design so that the latter is properly oriented with respect to the former, then applying heat and pressure to the surface of the backing sheet opposed from the surface with which the cut design is in contact in order to fuse the cut design to the backing sheet.

7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures mimmmnaiz 3655.485

' SHEETEUFZ I 66 MENTOR THOMAS' A. ZOMPA f WMMM ATTORNEYS PROCESS OF LAMINATING A VINYL DESIGN TO A VINYL BACKING SHEET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many articles constructed of vinyl wherein it is desired to ornament the vinyl by applying a vinyl laminate cut to a desired configuration, the vinyl overlay normally being of a contrasting color with respect to the vinyl base sheet.

The usual technique that has heretofore been used is known as the applique method or technique. In this method the vinyl overlay is superimposed over the vinyl base sheet. An applique die is then forced against the vinyl overlay, the configuration of the die conforming to the configuration of the desired design. The applique die simultaneously heat seals the top sheet to the bottomsheet at all of the edge portions of the design configuration and at the same time, the top sheet or overlay is scored adjacent the heat seal so that the excess material of the design laminate may be torn away, thus leaving a composite ornamented sheet comprising the base sheet with the design sheet sealed thereto.

There have proven to be a number of problems in connection with the operation of the aforesaid applique technique. First of all, the tearing operation is both time consuming and difficult to perform. In addition, where the base sheet is not of substantial thickness, such as where expanded vinyl is used for the base sheet, it has been found that during the tearing-away operation, there is frequently a tendency for the base sheet to inadvertently tear. Thus, the applique technique has proven to be virtually useless where the base vinyl sheet is expanded vinyl.

A further disadvantage in the applique method is the fact that it is extremely difficult to effectively use this method where the design laminate comprises small openings as a part ofthe design since it then becomes an extremely difficult and unwieldly task to tear away relatively minute portions of the design laminate. Also, since the heat sealing in the applique method is only at all edge portions of the design laminate, it is conceivable that air might become trapped between the design laminate and the base surface, thus creating an undesirable bubble-like effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention overcomes all of the aforesaid disadvantages of the applique method by eliminating completely the use of an applique die and the subsequent tearing-away operation that must be preformed when such a die is used. Thus, in the instant invention the design laminate is preformed, such as by die cutting, prior to being sealed to the base sheet. In addition, the sealing operation results in a complete bond being formed between the design laminate'and the base sheet, rather than an edge seal, as in the applique technique, thus greatly lessening the likelihood of any air bubbles being entrapped between the design laminate and the base sheet.

In carrying out the instant invention, the design laminate is first die cut and is then positioned on a support surface, after which the base sheet is superimposed over. the design laminate. Means are provided on the support surface for properly orienting the design laminate with respect to the base sheet. Conventional heat sealing apparatus is then employed whereby heat and pressure is applied to the surface of the base sheet opposite from that which is in contact with the design laminate in order to eflectively seal or laminate the designto the base sheet. The heat and pressure is applied to the base sheet at an area just sufficient to surround the periphery of the design laminate.

It will thus be seen that a laminating method is provided wherein no tearing-away operation is required, as in the applique method, whereby the instant invention is effectively applicable to the laminating of a die cut vinyl design on a relatively thin vinyl base sheet or on a base sheet of expanded vinyl. Also, more intricate design laminates can now be employed then is the case where the applique method is used, and

no pronounced seal line is visible in the finished article, unlike the applique method.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a composite base vinyl sheet having a design laminate sealed thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a heat sealing machine used in carrying out the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the press portion of the machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective detail of the support and positioning member that forms a part of my invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the member shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the press portion of the sealing machine and the support and positioning member during the sealing operation;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of an expanded vinyl sheet having a design laminate sealed thereto in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a plain vinyl sheet having a vinyl design laminated thereto in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified support used where a plurality of superimposed design laminates are fused to a base sheet;

FIG. 10 is a section taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 1 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an expanded vinyl sheet having a plurality of superimposed design laminates sealed thereto without any imbedment;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of an expanded vinyl sheet having a plurality of superimposed design laminates sealed thereto, with one of said laminates imbedded;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the composite sheet shown in FIGS. 11 and 12; and

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the design laminates shown in FIGS. 1 l 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown generally at 10 a panel or sheet comprising a vinyl: backing or base sheet 12 with a cut design laminate 14,. also of vinyl, adhered thereto. The backing sheet 12 may either be a plain sheet of vinyl, as illustrated in FIG. 8,

' or else it may be what is known in the art as an expanded vinyl,

which is a thin sheet of vinyl 16 having a foam backing 18 adhered thereto and with a knit backing 20 adhered to the under surface of the foam backing, as shown in FIG. 7. The backing sheet could also be in the form of what is known in the art as superweight which is the same as expanded vinyl except instead of a knit backing, a vinyl layer is present in lieu thereof. Also, although the cut design laminate 14 is shown as being a plain sheet of vinyl, it will be understood that my invention is also applicable where this laminate is expanded or superweight. Thus my invention is actually applicable to any combination of materials selected from plain, expanded and superweight.

It will be understood that the cut design laminate 14 is formed by any desirable means, such as die cutting, and may comprise any desirable design. Preferably, the design laminate is of a contrasting color with respect to the backing 12 in order to enhance the appearance of the composite sheet or panel 10. It is also within the scope of this invention that the design laminate 14 may be made up of separately die cut'parts, rather than the integral configuration 14 shown in FIG. 1, in which event a multi-color efi'ect may be achieved, as subsequently described in more detail.

The instant invention relates to the method and technique of sealing the pre-cut design laminate 14 to the base sheet 12 and in the accomplishment of this objective, a conventional radio frequency electronic heat sealing machine, shown generally at 22 in FIG. 2 is used. Since the heat sealing machine 22 is of conventional nature, it will not be described in detail, other than to indicate that it comprises a vertically reciprocating ram 24 which carries therewith plates 26 and 28, the latter of which has a solid heat block or die 30 depending therefrom. A sheet of bakelite or the like 32 is secured to the under surface of the heat block 30 for electrical insulation purposes when the ram is in its down or operative position. A fixed platen 34 is adapted to receive thereon the work that is to be heat sealed and, in accordance with the instant invention, a jig shown generally at 36 in FIG. 4 is utilized. The jig 36 comprises a bottom wall 38 which has secured thereon a body portion 40 having oppositely disposed upstanding ends 42 which define a recess 44. Extending upwardly from the body portion 40 adjacent opposite ends of recess 44 are a pair of spaced locating pins 46, the function of which will hereinafter become apparent. Also mounted in the body portion 40 are a plurality of spring-loaded pins 48 and, as will be noted in FIG. 5, the pins 48 are normally urged upwardly by springs 50 mounted in bores 52, said springs being retained within their bores by means of a top plate 54 which is provided with suitable openings for slidably receiving the pins 48 therethrough.

The purpose of the pins 48 is to position the design laminate 14 and, as will be seen in FIG. 4, three such pins are provided, said pins being spaced so as to fit snugly within opposed bifurcations of the laminate 14. Thus, with the jig 36 positioned on platen 34 so as to be in alignment with heat block 30, the first step in my process, after die cutting the design laminate 14, is to position the laminate 14 in the jig 36 by interengagement of the pins 48 therewith as afore described. A template 56 is then positioned in the jig 36, said template having openings 58 for receiving the locating pins 46. The template 56 has an opening 60 centrally disposed therein, which opening is shaped to receive the backing sheet 12 so that when the backing sheet 12 is snugly received within opening 60, it will be centrally positioned with respect to the design laminate 14 and vice versa. Where different shaped backing sheets are used, it will be understood that different templates 56 having different shaped openings 60 will be employed. It will also be understood that positioning means other than the pins 48 could be used, such as suitable templates or the like.

After the design laminate 14 has been properly positioned in the jig 36 by means of pins 48, as aforedescribed, the backing sheet 12 is then placed in the opening 60 so that it overlies the design laminate and is centrally disposed with respect thereto as aforesaid. Where the backing sheet is of expanded vinyl, it is essential that the vinyl surface 16 be positioned in contact with the design laminate 14, or, expressed differently, that the expanded vinyl be superimposed over thedesign laminate with its vinyl surface downwardly disposed, as shown in FIG. 6. If the backing sheet is plain vinyl, as shown in FIG. 8, then it makes no difference how the backing sheet is inserted into opening 60 unless the sheet 12 has a right side, such as a grained surface or the like, in which event the right side is positioned in contact with the design laminate.

With the design laminate 14 and backing sheet 12 mounted in jig 36 as above described, the sealing machine is now operated to bring the heat block 30 into engagement with the upwardly disposed back surface of the base sheet 12, as illustrated in FIG. 6, whereupon the heat and pressure will cause complete sealing of the backing sheet to the design laminate. It will be understood that the heat block 30 is dimensioned so as to encircle the area defined by design laminate 14, although it is not necessary that the heat block have the same peripheral configuration as that of design 14.

Once the heat sealing operation has been completed, the design laminate 14 will be securely sealed to the backing sheet 12 and the seal will not be just at the periphery of the design, but rather the seal will be a complete one covering the entire area of the design due to the solid construction of heat block 30. Where the backing sheet is expanded vinyl, the design 14 will actually embed therein, as shown in FIG. 7. Where, however, the backing sheet is a plain vinyl, then the design 14 will simply laminate thereon, as shown in FIG. 8.

It will be understood that during the heat sealing operation, the pins 48 will be depressed against the action of the springs 50, and thus said pins will not in any way interfere with or obstruct downward movement of ram 24 and heat block 30.

The composite sheet or panel 10 may be used in connection with any number of articles, including, but not limited to, such articles as travel cases, covers for notebooks, etc.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 through 14, a slightly modified form of my invention is shown and will be described. Actually, the same basic concept is utilized in the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 14 except that instead of utilizing one design laminate, a plurality of vinyl design laminates, such as shown at 62, 64 and 66 in FIGS. 13 and 14 are utilized. As previously mentioned, it is necessary to utilize a plurality of laminates where a multi-color design effect is desired and it has been found that the simplest and most effective technique is to superimpose the design laminate 62, 64 and 66 over each other in a manner now to be described.

As will be seen in FIG. 9, a template 68, generally similar to the aforesaid template 56, is provided, said template'having an opening 70 shaped to receive the backing sheet 71 which, as in the case of the aforedescribed backing sheet 12, may be plain vinyl, expanded vinyl or superweight. Mounted on template 68, within opening 70, are a plurality of additional templates 72, 74, and 76, each preferably constructed of relatively thin brass shim stock, the thickness of the templates 72, 74 and 76 actually being somewhat less than the thickness of the vinyl design laminates 62, 64 and 66. As will be seen in FIG. 9, the template 72 is provided with a cutout 82 that is configured so as to snugly receive the design laminate 62 while the template 74 is provided with a cutout 82 that is configured so as to snugly receive the design laminate 64, and lastly, the template 76 is provided with a cutout 84 that snugly receives the design laminate 66. It is important to note that template 74 is superimposed over template 72, while template 76 is superimposed over template 74.

In this form of my invention, the template 68, as shown in FIG. 9, is positioned on the platen 34 of the heat sealing machine 22, after which design laminate 62 is positioned in opening 80, design laminate 64 is then superimposed thereover and positioned in opening 82 and design laminate 66 is then superimposed over the other laminates by placing it within the opening 84. The backing sheet 71 is then positioned in opening 70 and if the backing sheet has a right side, that surface is downwardly disposed, or, expressed differently, is positioned in contact with the laminate 66. The sealing machine is then operated to bring the heat block 30 into engagement with the upwardly disposed back surface of the backing sheet 71 to effect sealing of the laminates 62, 64 and 66 to each other and to the backing sheet, whereupon the composite multi-colored design shown in FIG. 13 is achieved. The templates 72, 74 and 76 not only function to maintain the design laminates properly positioned with respect to each other and with respect to backing sheet 71, but they also insure proper sealing of the parts with respect to each other since the calibrated thickness of these templates causes proper pressure to exist between the laminates and the backing sheet when the sealing machine is operated. Expressed differently, these templates prevent any pronounced imbedment of the design laminates with respect to each other or with respect to the backing sheet 71, as illustrated in FIG. 11, even though the backing sheet 71 may be of expanded vinyl, as shown. If it is desired to have the laminate 66 imbed into the backing sheet 71, as shown in FIG. 12, then template 76 is eliminated and any other suitable means are employed for properly positioning the design laminate 66 in the template or jig 68.

If desired, the template 72 can be eliminated by providing a cutout as shown in broken lines at 86 in FIG. 13 in the laminate 64, said cutout 86 being configured so as to snugly receive therein the laminate 62. Actually, the entire multicolor effect shown in FIG. 13 can be achieved without the templates 72, 74 and 76 by providing a cutout in the laminate 66 that is shaped to snugly receive the laminate 64 and by providing the cutout 86 in the laminate 64 for receiving laminate 62. In this arrangement, it will be seen that the multicolor laminate is actually only one layer of material, hence obviating the necessity of utilizing the aforesaid templates. This type of an arrangement has been found to be .less efficient, however, than the method disclosed and described in FIGS. 9 through 13, due to the close tolerances that must be maintained in cutting the openings in the design laminates for receiving the other laminates. Accordingly, it has been found preferable to superimpose the laminates and utilize the templates 72, 74 and 76 as hereinbefore described.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of laminating an ornamental applique design pressure by a heated die to the surface of said.backing sheet opposite to that of the ornamental surface in contact with said precut design figure so that the ornamental surface of said backing sheet to which said design figure is applied is substantially free of edge lines of the heated die, and substantially the entire surface of the design figure in contact with the ornamental surface of the backing sheet is adhered thereto wherein stripping of excess material from said design figure after the heat sealing operation is avoided.

2. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 1, locating said design figure on said support surface within an opening defined by a template mounted on said support surface, wherein said design figure is substantially centrally positioned in said opening.

3. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 2, the locating means including pins that project upwardly of said support surface for engagement with the design figure located in said opening on said support surface.

4. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 3, the pins being depressible and projecting through said support surface.

5. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 1, precutting a plurality of the applique design figures, placing said design figures in laminated relation with respect to each other on said backing sheet to form a multi-layer construction and applying heat and pressure by the heated die to the surface of said backing sheet opposite to that of the ornamental surface to cause said design figures to adhere to each other and to said backing sheet.

6. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 5, a plurality of templates being secured to said support surface, each of said templates being configured to accommodate a design figure.

7. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 5, one of said design figures being precut interiorly of the marginal edges thereof and accommodating another design figure that is precut in a configuratior: co rreipoildir g thereto. 

2. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 1, locating said design figure on said support surface within an opening defined by a template mounted on said support surface, wherein said design figure is substantially centrally positioned in said opening.
 3. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 2, the locating means including pins that project upwardly of said support surface for engagement with the design figure located in said opening on said support surface.
 4. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 3, the pins being depressible and projecting through said support surface.
 5. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 1, precutting a plurality of the applique design figures, placing said design figures in laminated relation with respect to each other on said backing sheet to form a multi-layer construction and applying heat and pressure by the heated die to the surface of said backing sheet opposite to that of the ornamental surface to cause said design figures to adhere to each other and to said backing sheet.
 6. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 5, a plurality of templates being secured to said support surface, each of said templates being configured to accommodate a design figure.
 7. A method of laminating as set forth in claim 5, one of said design figures being precut interiorly of the marginal edges thereof and accommodating another design figure that is precut in a configuration corresponding thereto. 